Baby quilt and stuff

So later than promised in my previous post, some pics of the baby quilt I made for my sister's imminent arrival. It is by no means perfect (don't look too close at ANY of the blocks) but I'm pretty pleased with it because it looks like something I would like to have around the house. The back is just all one fabric. I think it's a good size for either a cot quilt or a playmat. Hopefully it will get some use.

So back to garment sewing... It is with great excitement that I await my Lady Grey coat pattern from Colette Patterns so I can get cracking with Gertie's fantabulous coat sew along. It has dispatched so should be here any day now... pretty excited about getting all the supplies ready and also learning some funky tailoring techniqiues. I have never joined a sew-along before, but I think it will suit me pretty well. I have no issues testing things out, finding supplies and resources, but what I really lack is the discipline to keep sewing regularly - even if only for half an hour a day! I'm hoping the structure of the sew-along will help with that.

I am also hoping to finish the Vogue purple dress - it needs hemming and the centre back seam finishing. The fit isn't fab (I should have made a muslin - when will I learn!) but it will do. I seem to have constructed the zipper and lining in a slightly different way to the instructions so I am a little baffled at the best way to finish everything off, but I'll get there...

I think my next project (to run alongside the coat sew-along) is going to be a simple one - a skirt based on the Jenny skirt pattern from Burda. And I am actually going to make a muslin of this to make sure the fit is right! I need a tried and tested skirt pattern - would be great to have a few for work, and this high-waisted style suits me.

Let's see how far I get with finishing my purple dress!

Quick update - Vogue 8555

I have been doing some sewing, though we have had a lovely stretch of warm weather here in London which has meant more time outside drinking Pimm's and less time in the study sewing! A few quick (bad) pics of the dresss - just have to put the zip in and fit the back seam and do the hem now... was thinking of doing it today, but it's just too warm!

Excuse the lack of ironing, it needs a good press before the next stage. I did a French seam on the side seams but annoyingly forgot to trim the seam allowance before sewing the second part of the seam, so I have some little threads poking out of the seam on the outside which will need trimming. I am so far pretty pleased with how this is working out, though a bit nervous about putting the zipper in with the lining... also not sure about the pleat at the bottom and how long to finish them hem - will I need the pleat? I think this dress will look awesome with a funky belt and my lovely Chloe wedges. I'm going to try and finish it in the next week or so, my parents are visiting in a couple of weeks and would love to be able to wear it out to lunch with them.

Return of my sewing mojo (sew-jo??) - Vogue 8555

The pink Burda dress horror was doing my head in - I decided to put it to one side and get on with something else. I was inspired by a recent trip to Joel's Fabrics up by Edgeware Road (more on that in another post - I am still recovering from the BEATING my AmEx took that day) and I bought a load of patterns (with the awesome Sew Today 50% discount - huzzah!) which got me all enthusiastic again.
One of my amazing purchases from Joel's was some gorgeous purple floral cotton. This stuff is cotton the likes of which I have never seen, it feels so smooth and almost silky - and as it was a bolt end (at two metres!) it was in the 50% off section (which was frankly just as well as I think at full price it was about £25 a metre - that place is NOT cheap)... then when some of the patterns I had ordered came at the weekend, I spotted Vogue 8555 which I thought would be fab for my lovely purple cotton. I am making view B (the yellow dress in the link). The dress is lined and I had some beige silky lining which is perfect. On Saturday I did a quick muslin of the bodice in size 10 which seemed generally ok though might need taking in at the centre back when I put the zipper in.

I have so far finished the bodice which looks good so far - I really like the pleats on the neckline and the sweetheart shape at the front is pretty cool. I am really keen to finish this dress as professionally as possible - and I wanted to understitch the lining to the seam allowances as per the instructions (which say to understitch 'as far as possible'). The annoying thing is that the instructions said to do that after I'd sewn the lining and the fabric together at the neckline and armholes - and the curves just wouldn't let me get the sewing machine all the way around. I couldn't just go part of the way and stop - it would look odd on the inside surely??

What is the best way to do this properly?? Advice please!

On the length, I was going to have it above the knee (the is the most flattering length on me) but now I'm thinking if I taper the skirt in towards the hem a bit more to make it a bit more pencil-y, it might be ok just over the knee... hmmmm. To be continued.